Smoky Ham Hock and Split Pea Soup

⏱ 150 min · Serves 6

A thick, spoon-coating bowl of comfort built on a slow-simmered smoked ham hock. The peas collapse into a velvety broth, the meat shreds into sweet smoky ribbons, and a squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it lively rather than heavy. Cheap, filling and better the next day.

Per serving: 530 kcal · 36.0g protein · 62.0g carbs · 16.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 smoked ham hock (about 1kg)
• 500g dried green split peas, rinsed
• 2 tbsp olive oil or 30g butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 litres cold water
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced (optional, for extra body)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt, to taste
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley or mint, chopped
• Crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Put the ham hock in a large heavy pot, cover with the 2 litres of cold water, bring to a boil and skim off any grey foam. Reduce to a bare simmer, add the bay leaves, and cook covered for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil or butter in a frying pan and gently soften the onions, carrots and celery for 10 minutes until sweet but not browned. Add the garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more.
3. Lift the hock out onto a plate. Add the softened vegetables, split peas, potato if using and black pepper to the cooking liquid and stir well, scraping the bottom.
4. Return the hock to the pot, bring back to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring every 15 minutes to stop the peas catching, for 60-75 minutes until the peas have completely broken down.
5. Remove the hock and bay leaves. When the hock is cool enough to handle, strip off the meat, discarding skin, fat and bone, and shred it into bite-sized pieces.
6. Blend about a third of the soup smooth with a stick blender (or leave rustic if you prefer), then stir the shredded ham back in. Loosen with a splash of hot water if it is thicker than you like.
7. Taste and season — it may need little or no salt because of the ham. Stir in the lemon juice, scatter with parsley or mint and serve very hot with crusty bread.